Valuing our Values
Each day we are faced with many opportunities and decisions individually and as a church. Establishing values rooted in Biblical truth provides a filter which helps us choose good over bad and then best over good. It sharpens our focus, protects us from simply being busy and helps us accomplish our mission.
As a community of believers at Harbour Fellowship Church, we affirm 7 core values.
One of those is:
Intentional Hospitality
We are looking for opportunities to extend God’s grace to all people and include them in our lives, families, friendships and church.
- Do I make efforts to welcome people in my world?
- Romans 12:13 (MSG) – “be inventive in hospitality.”
A Story – From Norm and John
Norm writes:
Somewhere around 1994 is was standing in our kitchen with Kim on a Sunday afternoon. We were getting supper prepared for the kids and I was reading a pamphlet that I had picked up that same morning, from my first visit to Harbour.
The pamphlet was for a men’s small group titled “He who dies with the most toys wins”. I was intrigued but new there was more to it than that.
John Claus was on stage singing that morning and we had met socially with our wives a few times before. I called John and asked him if he was going to the group, his immediate response was yes and he would be happy to pick me up.
John continues:
I was not planning to be part of this at this point in time because I was basically out every night of the week and was trying to scale it back, and when he called I felt I needed to go for the first bit and get him acquainted with the others who would be there. It worked out very well and glad that I said “Ya I’m going.” (Even though I lied a little bit)
Norm concludes:
And so it was, a great group of 6 guys that meet each week.
Near the end of the term I remember someone saying to John it was nice to have him in the group, so I asked John had he intended to attend prior to me asking, his answer in a beat around the bush (very polite) kind of way was no he did not plan on it.
Thank you John
We never know how God might use a simple gesture of hospitality in the life of someone who is new to Harbour.
Our desire as a church, is that whatever situation we find ourselves is that we are looking for opportunities to live out this value. Here are some ways that you can practice this:
- Operate as a greeter every Sunday. You don’t need to be part of the host team to be friendly. Look for one person each week who you don’t know. Greet them. Ask “have we met before?” or “how long have you been coming to Harbour?”
- Sit in the middle section of the auditorium. Guests tend to sit on the two outside sections. By simply moving to the middle you can make room for someone else.
- We have 3 teams that operate on Sunday morning. Host, Welcome Desk and Secret Greeters. Thank them for their ministry.
Intentional Hospitality Challenge
As we seek to be a church that continues to live out this value, this summer, let us each have someone new to Harbour to your home.
- One way we can evaluate how hospitable we are as a church is how quickly we invite people in our homes and lives.
- Would you prayerful identify a person/family and invite them to get together this summer
- Think of the incredible difference this simple act repeated numerous times in our culture could make.
A simple ask of Intentional hospitality can make a huge difference in someone’s life, spiritual journey and connection to our church. Let’s together continue to practice this value.
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